A Revealing Conversation
by Aleia15
Summary: Iruka is not amused when he learns about Konoha's longest running game. Series of one-shots, autocunclusive but related. Kakashi/Iruka
1. A Revealing Conversation

**A Revealing Conversation**

"What are you talking about?"

Kakashi looked up from his book at the sound of that voice his eyes scanning his surroundings quickly to check if had been noticed by anyone. He hadn't, the booth in the back of the bar was dark and inconspicuous enough it hadn't merited a look from anyone but Kakashi up to that day, though it seemed there were some people sitting in the booth next to him.

Kakashi relaxed and went back to his novel; the hero, a young girl with magical powers, was about to face her nemesis and if Kakashi read at his usual speed he could finally find out if the bad guy was the girl's brother before his food was ready.

"You know, Iruka, _the game_."

A voice he recognized as Izumo said in the adjacent booth and Kakashi frowned. Maybe he should have gone to a different place to have dinner, he didn't want to listen to the rowdy group beside him while reading the climax of the novel, they were going to distract him.

"I've no clue what you're talking about." That was Iruka's voice and he sounded bored and completely uninterested in whatever game Izumo was talking about.

Exactly as Kakashi felt. He turned his attention back to the page, the word standing in sharp relief for a moment.

"Where have you been living all these years Iruka?" That other voice belonged, unsurprisingly, to Kotetsu. "It's the longest running and most difficult game in Konoha, we've been playing it for years!"

Kakashi had a bad feeling about the direction the conversation was taking, his book forgotten he masked his presence just in case and eavesdropped for all he was worth.

"No, still no clue. And I'm not sure I want to know."

"Come on Iruka, you have to participate! It will be fun!" Izumo was insistent and Kakashi could hear a long suffering sigh. He had no trouble guessing who was the source of the sound.

"Ok, I'll bite. What game?"

"The seduce and unmask Hatake Kakashi game." Izumo and Kotetsu said at he same time in an amused whisper and Kakashi had to suppress the urge to groan.

He had thought he was rid of that bloody game for years only to have it come back when he was expecting it less. It wasn't funny, he didn't consider it amusing in the least. He hadn't when it began, all those years ago thanks to those bastards he had called his friends, and he had learned to hate it with a passion after the years.

The people in Konoha thought he was unaware of the bet, and that he just liked to be mysterious and unattainable. They had never considered the possibility that he might know, and the fact that Kakashi would not let anyone close to him was that fucking game's fault.

Kakashi might be a loner, but the fact that when someone approached him he had no idea if they really liked him or if they were in the game made it impossible for him to be anything else.

His evening completely ruined now, Kakashi stared morosely at the table while he waited for his food.

"You're joking." Iruka's voice took him out of his musing, something in the tone striking a chord in Kakashi. He sounded outraged.

"No, we're not," Kotetsu said, clearly unrepentant. "Genma outlined to us sometime ago, it's been going on for years!"

Genma, the fucking bastard, was dead meat.

"You mean to tell me," Iruka said slowly, a dangerous undercurrent in his voice that made Kakashi blink. "That for years now everyone and their dogs in Konoha have been trying to seduce Hatake Kakashi just for a bet? To try to take off his mask?"

Kakashi blinked at those words and the tone. He had not thought highly about Iruka before, to be honest he didn't like the man a lot. He didn't know him, that was true, but the couple of times they had spoken Iruka had treated him coldly. Probably because of that time during the Chuunin examination. The only remarkable thing about Iruka was that he was bold and unafraid, regardless of whom he was talking to, and that he was completely uninterested in Kakashi.

"Um, yes." Iruka's friends might have caught on the tone as well, if the hesitant answer Kotetsu gave was any indication.

"Are you aware you're talking about a person here?" Iruka continued, his voice full of that righteous indignation Kakashi remembered from the Chuunin examination. Iruka was furious, on Kakashi's behalf. Talk about a surprising turn of events.

"It's a harmless bet." Izumo defended himself.

Kakashi almost snorted. Yeah, harmless. He would like to see how any of them would react to be the object of such a bet.

"A harmless bet?" Iruka sounded about to hit the roof. "You're playing with a man's life here! It's no wonder Kakashi is so screwed up, I wouldn't trust any of you further than I can throw you if I was in his shoes."

Iruka was right, of course, which made Kakashi consider him in a new light. For a long time Kakashi had hoped a person would appear who wouldn't want in the game, who would want to know him just for Kakashi, not to find out what was beneath the mask.

Iruka had not expressed any wish to know Kakashi, but he fit the rest of the requirements.

"Hold your horses, Iruka," Kotetsu said, trying to calm his friend down. "Kakashi has no idea what's going on, you can't blame us for the man's neurosis."

"He doesn't know?" Iruka countered, his voice thick with disbelief. "You think Kakashi has no idea of what's going on? The man's a bloody genius, you idiots! He's probably known all the time, or you think someone as _popular_ as he is would want to spend all his time alone? He reads porn non-stop but he doesn't have sex even when half of Konoha is throwing themselves at his feet. Buy a clue, for God's sake!"

"We thought you didn't like him and that you'd find it funny," Izumo said, his voice disappointed and a bit pedantic. He sounded like a five years old who had been denied a treat.

"I don't like him," Iruka replied calmly. "I'd have the same reaction if you made that same bet about Orochimaru."

Kakashi shuddered at the comparison though he could see what Iruka meant. He was feeling more and more interested about the man, he had always considered him too uptight and bland, but he was changing his mind really fast.

"You know what, guys," Iruka said, and Kakashi heard a rustling of cloth signalling clearly someone had stood up. Iruka was leaving. "I think I'm not hungry anymore. I'm going home."

"But Iruka-"

"I'm not feeling up to company tonight. If you're playing that way with someone all of you claim to like and respect, I don't want to think what other bets are running around now."

Kakashi made a decision in a split second. Iruka was what he had been looking for, and he had found a way to end that stupid game once and for all.

He stood up from his booth and approached the Iruka, who was standing staring at his friends with his back to Kakashi. There was a shocked silence when Izumo and Kotetsu saw him, their eyes bulging out when the realization that Kakashi had heard their entire conversation reached them.

Kakashi slowly tugged his mask down at the same time as Iruka turned to face him, his face flushed crimson with fury while his eyes grew impossibly large. Izumo and Kotetsu's eyes were riveted to Kakashi's face as he leaned closer to the frozen Iruka.

Before he lost his nerve, Kakashi pressed his lips against Iruka's, the contact chaste and brief. Kakashi was feeling highly conscious with his face bare like that and every eye in the bar fixed on them, but he forced himself to act nonchalant and smile at Iruka. "Thank you," Kakashi whispered against the skin of his cheek and Iruka blushed deeper if possible. He turned to Izumo and Kotetsu and tugged his mask up. "Iruka wins. Game over."

He turned to the door, signalling to the waiter that his food was no longer needed. He paid for it nonetheless, feeling Iruka's eyes on the back of his head the entire time, and left the bar in silence, the book clutched in his hand like a lifeline.

Kakashi teleported home, not trusting his legs to carry him the way back, and dropped on his bed, his eyes staring blindly at the ceiling.

He had done it. He had shown his face in public and probably got rid of that stupid bet once and for all. It had taken all his courage but he had managed.

And he had got something else out of it tonight.

He had finally found the right person.

His lips curling in a smile, Kakashi let the book fall from his fingers and began to plan how to seduce Umino Iruka.

…


	2. Not Just Gratitude

**Not Just Gratitude**

Iruka stared at the pug standing on top of his desk at the Academy, its big, wet eyes staring back at him clearly unimpressed.

"Tell your Master I am not interested," he said, enunciating each word slowly for the benefit of the dog. The dog blinked, and if he could he would have cocked an eyebrow. Iruka was certain of that. "I feel honoured he feels that way but no thank you."

"As you wish, Iruka-sensei." Was it possible for a dog to shrug? Well, this one _talked_, so he guessed shrugging wouldn't be too much of an effort for it.

The dog jumped from the table, casting a last, inquisitive look at Iruka before walking unhurriedly to the door and leaving the room. Iruka closed his eyes and sighed loudly.

He would have never believed it before, but his life had become exceedingly surreal in the past two weeks. Ever since the day he heard about that stupid game.

_The bet_. How on earth had Izumo and Kotetsu imagined, for just one second, that Iruka would be ok with that? That he would find it amusing? He had listened to them with growing disbelief, the ramifications of what they considered a harmless game hitting Iruka at once. It was so cruel it had left him breathless, and the fact his friends were unable to see it only made it worse.

And then-well, he'd said Kakashi had to know for sure, but having him listen to his conversation-If Iruka could have dug a hole in the ground at that time, he would. He had never wanted to disappear so much in his life.

Then Kakashi had kissed him.

He had wanted to hit Kakashi for it, he really had, but to be honest, he had been so pissed off with Genma and the rest of Konoha on Kakashi's behalf that it had been difficult to summon the rightful indignation. And it wasn't hard to guess the reason for Kakashi's actions: they didn't like each other much, that was true, but apparently he _had known_ about the bet and Iruka had been the only one to stand up for him.

So Iruka had won the bet without even trying to, and he had seen Kakashi's mysterious and unmasked and, let's face it, incredibly handsome face. He had also tasted, albeit briefly, Kakashi's soft lips.

And his mind was a complete mess since then because he didn't like Kakashi and he didn't want to, but it was difficult to hang on to his animosity when Kakashi wasn't only unfairly beautiful and skilled, he also seemed intelligent and, now, interested in Iruka.

And Iruka was running out of reasons to reject his advances, indirect as they were.

It had started with a simple _thank you_ note and a rose attached to it. The fact that said note and rose were nailed to his door with a kunai told Iruka who were they from, even before he got to see the henohenomoheji signing it. Only a crazy jounin would consider appropriate to give a kunai such use, and Kakashi was the craziest of Konoha's jounins.

Iruka had believed that would be the end of it. They had never been more than nodding acquaintances who had a common student and went down together in Konoha's history for having the most embarrassing row in public. Iruka had defended Kakashi. Kakashi thanked Iruka. End of story.

If only.

The next day there were no roses, instead there was a crazy jounin waiting for Iruka at his doorstep. With a home-cooked meal. It had been hard to send Kakashi away, especially because whatever it was he had made smelled delicious. It was not by chance that Iruka was one of Ichiraku's best customers, even before Naruto. Iruka loved food but he sucked at cooking.

"This is a token of my appreciation, Iruka-sensei," Kakashi had said with a smile visible even under his mask.

"You don't have to," Iruka had tried to say, but really, whatever it was in his hands was almost making him droll.

Kakashi had pushed the plate into Iruka's hands, clearly signalling he wasn't going to stay. "Enjoy it, Iruka-sensei," he had said before disappearing in a puff of smoke, leaving only dried leaves on his wake.

And it had really been delicious; Iruka had wolfed down the most amazing hot pot since his mother's, the food warming him inside.

The next day had been a set of shuriken left at his doorstep. They were beautifully crafted and had very small waves engraved on them. Iruka was glad it wasn't dolphins, he _hated_ when people was unimaginative like that.

It was at that point Iruka realized it felt more like a courtship than a thank you gift, and had the niggling suspicion that his principles had won him more than a game he wasn't even participating in.

He had tried to find Kakashi and return the gift, but had been told he was away on a mission.

That hadn't stopped another gift from being delivered to Iruka's doorstep. A book, this time. Iruka had looked at the bundle on the ground, the square shape giving away the contents very quickly, and rolled his eyes. If it was one of those porn books Kakashi carried around all the time he was going to return the shuriken to him in a very painful way.

It wasn't porn. It was an adventure book about a magical girl, the cover suspiciously similar to the one Kakashi had been carrying with him that day at the restaurant.

Iruka had devoured the book, staying up until morning dying to know how the girl would react to her brother's betrayal. He even had tears in his eyes when at the end she was forced to kill him.

He had confronted Kakashi when he arrived at the mission desk five days and a set of kunais, some lovely rice bowls, a potted rose bush, a picture of Naruto with Kakashi and Jiraiya, and the second book of the magical girl series later.

"Kakashi-sensei," Iruka had said softly, touched by his interest but not completely convinced he wanted to start a relationship, any kind of relationship, with someone as deranged as Kakashi. "Please stop sending me gifts."

Kakashi had tilted his head slightly, looking at him with something resembling disappointment in his uncovered eye. "Are they not to your liking?"

"No, I love them," Iruka had hastened to clarify. "The second book is even better than the first one, and when Mahiro meets her-"

"Please sensei, I haven read it yet!" Kakashi had interrupted him at that point, his voice tinged with panic, his hands covering his ears. Iruka had thought his reaction quite endearing, and promptly blushed at his own thoughts.

"Sorry," Iruka had laughed. "But it feels too much for just a thank you gift."

"They're not just to thank you."

Iruka had already guessed that much. "I'm choosing to consider them so."

"Oh." Kakashi had sounded really disappointed and Iruka had felt bad for it.

"Please stop sending me gifts."

Kakashi had nodded, dejected, and Iruka had believed it was going to be the end of it.

He had obviously grossly underestimated Kakashi's stubbornness. Now he had resorted to his dogs.

Iruka sighed, looking vacantly at the ceiling. It was getting more and more difficult to reject Kakashi, and it didn't look as if Kakashi had any intention to stop yet. So far he had sent five of his nin-ken, Pakkun being the last and more amusing of the lot. If only because Iruka could see in his expression how much he disliked the task his master had assigned to him.

"He's never going to give up," Iruka reflected out loud in the empty classroom.

"No, I don't think I will, Iruka-sensei," Kakashi's voice carried from the window, startling Iruka from his thoughts. He would have felt embarrassed to be caught off guard like that had this been anyone else. Iruka was a good shinobi, Kakashi was simply the best.

Iruka turned to glare at him, but it was impossible to put much heat in it when Kakashi was staring at him with fondness clearly written in his expression. The little he could see of it.

"You just won't take a no for an answer, will you?" Iruka said, resigned.

Kakashi laughed softly and shook his head. "No, I won't."

Another sigh. "I guessed as much."

He stood up and moved to the door, completely ignoring Kakashi until he had opened it. He turned to look at him then.

"You get one chance and just one," Iruka said in his more serious voice. "Screw it up in any way and you won't know what hit you. And that doesn't mean I'm agreeing to a second one even if you don't. Am I clear enough?"

It was difficult to believe that Iruka was _grudgingly_ agreeing to go out with Kakashi just so he would be left alone later, especially considering Kakashi's happy expression. "Yes."

"Friday, seven o'clock. If you are late even one minute, the date is off," he said before leaving the classroom and closing the door.

He had to be insane; he had agreed to go on a date with Hatake Kakashi.

And even worse, he was looking forward to it.

…


	3. Friendly Advice

**Friendly Advice**

Kakashi strolled happily through the streets of Konoha, a spring in his step and a smile on his masked lips. It was going to be a good day.

It was Tuesday, he had the week off and the latest book of Magical Mahiro was released today. Oh, and he had a date on Friday, but he wasn't thinking of it or he would panic.

It was way too soon to panic.

He didn't mind being the only adult in the book store, or almost the only one, asking for two copies of his current favourite book. He had not expected it when he picked the first one by sheer chance, but it was a good read and he had to keep his inner child entertained. He usually went to a different kind of store for reading material for his inner adult.

"Can you please send this one to the Mission Desk and give it to Umino Iruka this afternoon?" he asked pleasantly, his uncovered eye twinkling with excitement as he wrote a short note and stuck it on the first page. _Please read it in case we don't know what to talk about on Friday._

The girl looked at the note and blushed lightly, nodding her assent while she took his payment.

Waving goodbye merrily, Kakashi took his copy and headed to the memorial stone. He didn't even need to watch his steps as he marched, the path known by heart already. Kakashi was aware of what people might think of him, spending his mornings talking to ghosts of his past, but he didn't care.

It was peaceful at the memorial stone, and though he didn't _need_ to be there to remember and honour his friends, he liked the place. Very few people came, except in times of tragedy when most of Konoha gathered there. Kakashi believed people shouldn't forget, ever during happy times, but it wasn't his place to tell anyone how to live their lives.

He stood there for a couple of hours, having silent conversations with Obito and Rin, and telling his sensei about Naruto's latest idiocy, before going back home and preparing a light lunch. He made enough for two, and went to the roof to enjoy his new book while he waited.

It was getting to the good part when he felt another presence approaching, and with a sigh Kakashi closed his book. Just on time.

He jumped out of the way of a huge fist coming straight at him, vaulting over and stopping a barrage of kicks with hands and feet. He retaliated, producing a clone to go over to the table and guard the food while he chased Gai all over the rooftop, exchanging blows.

They stopped after a few minutes, both of them breathing harshly and not having connected one single hit.

"I see you keep in shape, my Esteemed Rival!" Gai boomed happily, slapping Kakashi on the back and making him wince at the sheer volume of his voice. "I have returned to Challenge you-"

"Cut it, Gai," Kakashi said, moving back to where he had been sitting before and signalling for Gai to join him. "I've made lunch."

Gai beamed at him, his teeth glittering under the sun and Kakashi rolled his eyes. "My Esteemed Rival, you want us to keep our energy for a Challen-"

"Gai, do you want to eat or not?" Kakashi said looking pointedly at the plates. One of the advantages of being a genius was that _everything_ he did was always the best. That included food.

Gai's smile dimmed a bit, his posture relaxing slightly. "Oh. You're a killjoy, Kakashi," he said, his voice still too loud but at least not deafening.

They sat down in opposite ends and Kakashi picked up his chopsticks to begin eating.

"Mask, Kakashi," Gai reminded him handing a strip of cloth that was resting on top of the table. Kakashi took it silently and replaced his mask with it at a lightning speed.

"Were you waiting for me in the Name of Friendship and-" Gai closed his mouth sharply at Kakashi's look, picking up his own chopsticks and delving into the food with a sigh of appreciation. "How did you know I would be back today?"

"I saw your mission report before they gave it to you."

"It said six weeks in Lightning Country, it has been just four," Gai pointed out and Kakashi shrugged.

"I know you."

They ate the food in companionable silence, the occasional noises of enjoyment from Gai the only sound filling the space between them. Kakashi grabbed another container from the ground next to the table and opened it when the main dish was finished, passing it to Gai.

"Lunch and dessert," Gai commented when they were done, licking the tip of his fingers to clean them of the remaining sugar. "What's happened?"

Kakashi stared at Gai who was staring back with a serious expression most people in Konoha would have not believed him capable of making. Most people thought Gai was weird and noisy and annoying, and well, he _was_ weird and noisy and annoying. He was also too damn clever for his own good and very perceptive, a fact few people in Konoha were aware of.

Kakashi knew this, it was just that sometimes even he forgot.

He considered lying to buy some time, but that would defeat the purpose of cooking for Gai so they could have a chat. Gai's most serious moments came at a price.

"I have a date."

Gai frowned for a moment, studying Kakashi intently. "What about the bet?"

It had been Gai the one to tell Kakashi everything about the bet all those years ago, the moment he learned about it. It had appalled and horrified him when he had been told, and he had rushed to defend Kakashi's virtue. Before that Kakashi had believed Gai a weirdo who only wanted to bother him, it had been that moment when Kakashi accepted his idiotic challenges for the first time, and though he didn't consider Gai a rival, he considered him a friend.

One of few living ones he still had.

"Over. For good this time."

At this Gai smiled, a real blinding smile with no pose behind it. "About time."

They looked at each other in silence for a few heartbeats until Gai finally laughed. "I seem to have missed some things while on my mission, tell me how it happened!"

Gai listened intently while Kakashi recounted everything, from the night at the restaurant to his attempts to get Iruka to go out with him.

"Iruka-sensei is a good man," Gai said when Kakashi finished telling him. "I'm happy for you, Kakashi."

Kakashi smiled. "Yes, and I think I really like him. That's the reason I don't want to screw up."

Gai looked at him considering and finally chuckled. "You've no idea how to date anyone."

Kakashi glared, offended. "Of course I do! You just have to get them in the mood to go home with you and impress them with your prowess in bed."

Gai's laugh could be heard in the mission room, and probably in _Suna's mission room as well_. Kakashi glared mutinously at him until he calmed down. "Kakashi, I don't think Iruka-sensei will act like the character in one of your porn books."

"As if you know more than I do! You've been single as long as I have!" Which probably meant Gai wasn't the best person to give him advice, and Kakashi wondered what in seven hells he had been thinking to even consider it.

Gai smiled mysteriously at him. "Just because nobody knows about it, my friend, doesn't mean I don't have a special someone." Kakashi arched up and eyebrow at him. "I'm Youthful and Love is the Most Special-"

Kakashi laughed. "Cut it out, if you speak to them like that I'm surprised you have anyone."

"I don't. At least not all the time." Gai's smile melted, his expression serious again. "But it's not me we're talking about here. You only have one chance, am I right? So let's make sure you succeed."

Kakashi sighed. He couldn't believe he was going to do this. "What do you suggest?"

…

Iruka looked at the time, five minutes to seven, and wondered if he was hoping for Kakashi to be late and be done with all the date non-sense or actually eager for him to arrive.

He had been having those contradictory feelings since Tuesday afternoon, when the girl from the bookshop delivered the book and he read the note attached. The fact that he still felt Kakashi was endearing for his taste in non pornographic books was a bit disturbing.

Still, he had devoured the book, making mental notes in some chapters to comment them with Kakashi. And now he was waiting for him to arrive.

There was a knock on his door at seven sharp, and Iruka smothered the smile that threatened to curl his lips. "Kakashi-san," he said opening the door and looking appraisingly at Kakashi. He wasn't wearing his flak vest or hitai-ate, an eye-patch covering his sharingan. Those were the only concessions to the fact that they were off work: he was wearing his uniform and masked vest top and the weapons pouch. One never knew when they could run into trouble. "You're on time."

Kakashi smiled under his mask. "Iruka-sensei, you look especially lovely today," he said and Iruka felt his eyebrows trying to climb up his forehead. He flushed, his cheeks heating in embarrassment. "Shall we?"

Iruka shook his head to clear it and nodded, stepping out into the hallway and setting his traps. He noticed how Kakashi averted his eye while he did this, granting him the privacy to secure his home. He liked that. "Where are we going?" he asked, his back turned to Kakashi.

"I've made a reservation in a restaurant which has been recommended to me for their Romantic Ambiance," Kakashi said seriously, and Iruka could swear he heard the capitals in the words. When he turned to look at Kakashi there was a flower in his hand.

That was it, Iruka looked at Kakashi's eager face and the flower in his hand and burst out laughing. He was being courted like a _girl_.

"Kakashi, I don't think-" he started and saw how Kakashi turned to glare at the far side of the corridor.

Iruka followed his look and saw a figure skulking there. It disappeared before Iruka could recognize it, but it wasn't very difficult to know who it had been.

"This is not going to work, Iruka-sensei," Kakashi said, cutting him off. "Change of plans." Kakashi approached Iruka and put his hands on his shoulders, teleporting them away before Iruka had the chance to move away.

He pushed Kakashi way the moment their new surrounding came into sharp focus. They were outside, in a grassy expanse with some sakura trees casting shadow and a pond. There was a picnic hamper under one of the trees, a blanket already strewn on the grass.

"I'm sorry sensei; I shouldn't have listened to Gai to begin with."

Iruka blinked at him, surprised by the confession, and then chuckled. "No. Definitely don't listen to Gai's dating advice. He's going out with Shizune, and for what she tells me, he's insane. He's lucky she likes the weird ones."

He looked around. The garden, if it was indeed a garden, was huge and beautiful. There weren't only sakura trees, on both sides of the pond lush flower beds showed vibrant colours, and there was a rose bush close by. The place was lovely, Iruka had never seen one like that in Konoha.

"Where are we, Kakashi?" He asked, curious.

"This is my family home. I don't live here, since it's far from the centre and too big for just one person," Kakashi explained. He sat down on the blanket and opened the hamper, signalling for Iruka to do the same. "But it has the most amazing garden, and I love coming here when I need some time for myself."

Iruka sat down next to Kakashi, taking care to leave some space between the two of them. "It's gorgeous," he breathed, looking at the afternoon sun reflected on the pond.

"I've made some things to eat, and I also brought some drinks. I hope you like plum wine, Sense," Kakashi said, his voice a bit hesitant. It was unusual for Iruka to hear him like this, when Kakashi always appeared so certain of himself in the mission room.

He imagined Kakashi might be feeling out of his depth. With the bet and everything else that had been going on, Iruka didn't believe Kakashi had much dating experience.

"That's fine," Iruka said, accepting the glass Kakashi handed him.

They drank the first cup in silence, Iruka watching the scenery and Kakashi watching Iruka. It really was a beautiful place, and the wine was very good, but Iruka was beginning to feel uncomfortable.

He turned to look at Kakashi, and saw that he had pulled down his mask and replaced it with a handkerchief. His face was still covered, but he was drinking his wine without problems.

"I have already seen you, you know," Iruka said, and cursed himself immediately when he saw the tiny wince Kakashi didn't manage to cover. Probably remembering the bet and the reason he had to show his face wasn't pleasant for him.

"You and half of Konoha," Kakashi said bitterly. "They were talking about it for an entire week. Luckily, they've left me alone now."

"I'm glad to hear."

Silence fell again between them, and Iruka grabbed a pair of chopstick and picked some food just to have something to do with his hands. The moment he tried the food, though, he was unable to contain a tiny moan of pleasure. _It was delicious_

"Please tell me you haven't made all of this," Iruka said after swallowing it, already choosing the next dish to try.

"I have."

Iruka looked at him with narrowed eyes. "How is it fair that you are the best shinobi in Konoha, rich, handsome and also cook this well? Haven't you considered leaving something for us mere mortals?" he asked in mock outrage.

Kakashi laughed, the last bit of tension disappearing. "I'm a genius, I can't help it."

They ate the rest of the food in the middle of relaxed conversation, the sun setting around them as they discussed every topic that crossed their minds. Kakashi had various opinions about mostly everything, and he seemed well informed and read. He was also fun when he told of his adventures, his self-depreciating style of narration making it impossible for Iruka to stop laughing. And he was a good listener, giving Iruka all his attention when he was the one speaking.

It was so not fair.

And Iruka was in so much trouble.

He was having fun. Having fun in a way he didn't remember in a long time. He didn't want to like Kakashi, but he had to admit there was nothing to do at that point.

"And I just couldn't believe it when Mokuro revealed he had Mahiro's brother under his control, and that he had never betrayed his sister," Iruka said, gesturing wildly with his hands, the wine inside the glass he was holding sloshing precariously. "It was so heartbreaking."

Kakashi drained his cup and deposited it on the blanket. "I know. I couldn't sleep one minute that night; I had to finish reading the book."

Iruka smiled at him, noticing for the first time he could barely see Kakashi's outline. Night had fallen around them and they had been eating and drinking and talking for _hours_. What was worse, Iruka didn't want for the date to be over.

He was in trouble.

"The next one comes out in two months. I don't know how I'm going to survive!" he sighed dramatically and Kakashi chuckled.

"I know. We'll manage, Sensei."

"Why me, Kakashi?" Iruka asked out of the blue. It was the question he had been wondering since the beginning.

Gratitude was all good, but this went beyond that. Kakashi couldn't be interested in him just because Iruka stood up for him. It was insane.

"I don't know," Kakashi said seriously, obviously not having trouble following Iruka's thoughts. "_That day_ you defended me, and it made me reconsider my opinion of you. I just want to know you better."

Iruka looked at him, focusing on what little he could see of his expression in the dim light.

"So you're not going to say you're madly in love with me?"

Kakashi laughed. "No. I like you, Iruka, but I don't know you that much. I would like to be, though. You're the first person I wouldn't have to wonder about his motivations for liking me."

"You don't know if I like you," Iruka said, smiling. He realized belatedly he was _flirting_ with Kakashi.

"Not even after tonight?" Kakashi asked, a smile in his voice.

"Well, after tonight, I might like you a bit."

Kakashi leaned forward, his face approaching Iruka's. "So you'll agree to go out with me again?"

Iruka leaned forward as well, his face stopping scant inches from Kakashi's. ""Yes."

They stared at each other like that for a minute.

"Are you going to kiss me, Kakashi?" Iruka asked when he saw there wasn't going to be any change in their positions.

"Do you want me to?" Kakashi asked, and he didn't sound smooth or cocky. He sounded uncertain.

Iruka didn't bother answering the question, he just pulled the handkerchief up and closed the distance between them. It was a sweet and almost chaste kiss, just the press of lips against lips for barely a couple of seconds, and then Iruka pulled back. Kakashi blinked at him, his eye arching in a happy crescent.

He leaned forward again, and this time the kiss was everything but chaste. Iruka opened his mouth under Kakashi's and let his tongue in to taste and explore, clutching at Kakashi's shoulders and kissing back with the same eagerness. They pulled apart breathlessly, smiling at each other.

"I have to work in the morning, Kakashi," Iruka said, standing up from the blanket. "I hate to cut this night short, but I will be leaving now."

"Do you want me to accompany you?" Kakashi offered, standing up as well.

"No. You don't need to. And besides, if you take me home, you won't be able to kiss me goodnight."

Kakashi took a step toward him and did exactly that.

"Goodnight Sensei."

"Goodnight Kakashi."

…


End file.
